A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 07 eBook

the Crescent; the ninth the Elizabeth; the tenth the
Richard belonging to Mr Duffield. All these ships,
being of notable and approved service, and coming
near the mouth of the Straits hard by the coast of
Barbary, they descried twelve tall gallies bravely
furnished, and strongly provided with men and ammunition
of war, ready to intercept and seize them. Being
perceived by our captains and masters, we made speedy
preparation for our defence, waiting the whole night
for the approach of the enemy.

[Footnote 369: Hakluyt, II. 660.]

Next morning early, being Tuesday in Easter week,
the 24th of April 1590, we had service according to
our usual custom, praying to Almighty God to save
us from the hands of the tyrannous Spaniards, whom
we justly imagined and had always found to be our
most mortal enemies on the sea. Having finished
our prayers, and set ourselves in readiness, we perceived
them coming towards us, and knew them indeed to be
the Spanish gallies, commanded by Andrea Doria, viceroy
for the king of Spain in the Straits of Gibraltar,
and a notable enemy to all Englishmen. When they
came near us, they waved us amain for the king
of Spain, and in return we waved them amain for the
Queen of England[370]; at which time it pleased the
Almighty so to encourage our hearts, that the nearer
they came we the less feared their great strength
and huge number of men; they having to the amount
of two or three hundred in each galley. It was
concluded among us, that our four largest and tallest
ships should be placed in the rear, the weaker and
smaller ships going foremost; and so it was performed,
every one of us being ready to take part in such successes
as it should please God to send.

[Footnote 370: This waving amain seems to have
been some salutation of defiance, then usual at sea.—­E.]

The gallies came upon us very fiercely at the first
encounter, yet God so strengthened us that, even if
they had been ten times more, we had not feared them
at all. The Salomon, being a hot ship with sundry
cast pieces in her, gave the first shot in so effectual
a manner on their headmost galley, that it shared
away so many of the men that sat on one side of her,
and pierced her through and through, insomuch that
she was ready to sink: Yet they assaulted us
the more fiercely. Then the rest of our ships,
especially the four chiefest, the Salomon, Margaret
and John, Minion, and the Ascension, gave a hot charge
upon them, and they on us, commencing a hot and fierce
battle with great valour on both sides, which continued
for the space of six hours. About the commencement
of this fight, our fleet was joined by two Flemish
vessels. Seeing the great force of the gallies,
one of these presently struck his sails and yielded
to the enemy; whereas, had they exerted themselves
on our side and in their own defence, they needed
not to have been taken in this cowardly manner.
The other was ready also to have yielded immediately,
and began to lower his sails: But the trumpeter
of that ship drew his faulcion, and stepping up to
the pilot at the helm, vowed that he would put him
instantly to death, if he did not join and take part
with the English fleet: This he did, for fear
of death, and by that means they were defended from
the tyranny which they had otherwise assuredly found
among the Spaniards.